African Data Sovereignty Key to Development, Says PAP

Pan-African Parliament calls for African ownership of data and research to strengthen health security, improve policymaking and deliver better public services.

NAIROBI, Kenya, 11 November 2026 — Who controls Africa’s data, who determines its research priorities, and who benefits from the knowledge generated by its people? These questions are taking centre stage in Nairobi as the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) joins calls for stronger African ownership of the information shaping the continent’s development.

At the 2026 Africa Health and Development Annual Research Symposium (AHDARS), participants are examining how African countries can build trusted data systems, strengthen independent research capabilities and ensure that knowledge translates into better policies and public services.

The symposium, taking place on 10–11 November, is co-convened by the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), GSMA and the Science for Africa Foundation.

Its theme, “Building African-Centred Data Systems: New Models, New Power. What Can Be Done Differently?” highlights a fundamental development issue: Africa’s capacity to generate information must be matched by its ability to govern, interpret and benefit from it.

Turning Data Into Better Decisions

A central message emerging from the discussions is that Africa’s challenge is not necessarily a lack of data. It is the shortage of integrated systems capable of turning existing information into evidence that governments and institutions can use.

Participants emphasized the need to connect national statistical systems, research institutions, government databases and private-sector information to support evidence-based decision-making.

The practical implications are considerable. Better-connected information could help public authorities identify underserved communities, anticipate health needs and assess whether programmes are delivering results.

However, connecting systems requires more than technology. It also demands common standards, capable institutions and clear responsibilities for the quality, security and use of information.

Without those foundations, valuable research risks remaining disconnected from the decisions it should inform.

Parliament’s Role in the Knowledge Economy

Addressing the symposium on behalf of the PAP President, Senator Professor Margaret Kamar, Rapporteur of the Permanent Committee on Health, underscored the importance of strengthening African institutions and legislative frameworks to support the continent’s knowledge economy.

Her intervention places parliamentary responsibility firmly within the debate. Legislatures have a role in establishing rules for data governance, scrutinizing investment in research and holding public institutions accountable for their use of evidence.

The discussions align with Resolution PAP.7/CHLSA/PLN-1/RES/02/JUL.26 on Strengthening Health Security and Sovereignty in Africa, adopted on 30 July 2026 through the PAP’s Committee on Health, Labour and Social Affairs.

The resolution identifies trusted and sovereign health data as one of the five core operational pillars of the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty Agenda.

That connection reinforces the importance of reliable information to public health preparedness. Stronger health systems require the capacity to understand local conditions, identify threats and determine priorities using evidence that African institutions can access and govern.

Ownership Through Equitable Cooperation

Speakers stressed that African countries should exercise greater control over data generated within their territories while supporting responsible international collaboration, cross-border sharing and scientific partnerships.

The issue is therefore also about the terms of cooperation: who sets research agendas, who accesses findings and whether African institutions and communities share fairly in the benefits.

Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of APHRC, called for African-centred systems that give the continent ownership and control of knowledge generated by its people and institutions, while ensuring that it benefits from that knowledge.

Professor Tom Kariuki, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Science for Africa Foundation, urged a shift away from extractive research practices towards equitable partnerships that strengthen African leadership.

Such partnerships would give African institutions a meaningful role throughout the research process, including identifying priorities, developing expertise and applying findings to local needs.

Protecting Citizens and Building Trust

Participants also emphasized that effective data governance requires legislation, institutional accountability and safeguards for privacy and informed consent.

These protections are essential to ensuring that stronger data systems serve the public. People and communities contributing information should understand how it will be used, while institutions must be accountable for protecting it.

Community benefit is equally important. Research involving African populations should contribute to knowledge, services and opportunities that respond to their circumstances.

The symposium’s emphasis on trust recognizes that the usefulness of a data system depends partly on public confidence in those managing it.

From Scientific Investment to Public Benefit

Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation, Professor Shaukat Abdulrazak, identified maternal and child health, disease prevention, food security, green energy and artificial intelligence as areas requiring coordinated and sustained scientific investment.

These priorities demonstrate how widely data governance reaches across development policy, from improving essential services to shaping participation in emerging technologies.

The symposium is expected to contribute practical recommendations for building trusted, inclusive and sustainable data and knowledge ecosystems.

For the Pan-African Parliament, the next challenge is to help translate these ambitions into legislative action, sustained funding and effective oversight. African ownership of data will have its greatest value when it enables African institutions to make better decisions and citizens to experience better outcomes.